Tice gauges the mood on the death of Ann Widdecombe, but only on second try | John Crace

Richard Tice pays tribute to Ann Widdecombe in the House of Commons. Photograph: © House of Commons View image in fullscreen Richard Tice pays tribute to Ann Widdecombe in the House of Commons. Photograph: © House of Commons Tice gauges the mood on the death of Ann Widdecombe, but only on second try John Crace After a wild attack on the Times, Reform’s deputy leader was all poise in the Commons – unlike some of his party’s other MPs T his is the third murder of either a sitting or former MP that I’ve covered in the last 10 years. It doesn’t get any easier or less shocking. Every death diminishes us all. The least you would hope is for politicians to behave with dignity. To set an example. For those who knew Ann Widdecombe to express their personal loss, for party leaders and ministers to convey the horror of her death and offer their condolences to her family and friends. Probably best for everyone else to say as little as possible for now. The police have asked for everyone to refrain from speculating about the motives of the suspect, as of Monday lunchtime being questioned by counter-terrorism officers, and not to politicise the murder if at all possible. A time for our political class to behave like grownups. And the overwhelming majority have done that. Just for now, even Nigel Farage has stopped acting as if he was the detective leading the investigation by offering his insights to every passing TV crew and has fallen silent. But there are a couple of Reform politicians who maybe haven’t quite got the message. Or understood the idea that they could be actively jeopardising an ongoing police enquiry. First thing on Monday morning, Richard Tice launched a strange attack on the Times, calling their journalists sick for reporting that Farage had been accused of using Widdecombe’s murder as propaganda, and insisting they wanted more Reform MPs to be killed. Zia Yusuf meanwhile was posting on social media that the Commons speaker and the government had deliberately tried to limit the security available to Reform MPs. And when Lindsay Hoyle denied this in a briefing to the media, Yusuf merely doubled down. The speaker was a disgrace and attempts to close down speculation were all about preserving an establishment narrative. Zia alone knew the truth. Everything was a plot against Reform. Widdecombe’s murder might as well have been a state-sponsored killing. View image in fullscreen Zia Yusuf appeared not to have got the message about not politicising the former MP’s death. Photograph: James Manning/PA Later in the afternoon Hoyle got to speak for himself at the start of a Commons statement on the murder by the home secretary. Though the speaker chose not to address Yusuf’s allegations, instead choosing to remind MPs that speculation on the motives of the suspect might interfere with the ongoing police investigation. Rather it would be more helpful were they to restrict their remarks to memories of Ann and the safety of politicians in general. Only i